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Godfrey family
The Godfrey family Family history Ancestry Edwin Rice Godfrey, Sr. was born in Bangor, Maine, on April 30, 1842. His ancestors came from France, England and Ireland. The Godfrey name literally means peace: It is derived from the words God and the old Saxon words frede, fid or fried. The family has always been prominent in affairs in New England, holding public offices of great importance. Thomas Godfrey of Philadelphia in 1730 invented a famous navigational instrument — the sextant. During the Revolutionary War, a John Godfrey attained the rank of brigadier general. In 1819, when Massachusetts was divided to create the state of Maine, the Godfreys became residents of this new state, with several generations continuing to live in the Bangor area. E. R. Godfrey's grandfather owned a shipyard in Hampden, Maine, on the Penobscot River. During the War of 1812, the British navy burned this shipyard. E.R. Godfrey, Sr.'s Early Years During the War of 1812, the British navy burned this shipyard E. R. Godfrey, Sr.'s Early Years In 1860, when he was eighteen years old, E. R. left his native soil to seek his fortune in what was then the West. Several weeks of travel by boat and rail brought him to Milwaukee where his uncles, John A. and William Rice, lived. The Rice Brothers Company was located on the corner of Cassand Wisconsin Street (now Wisconsin Avenue), where they dealt in selling apples by the shipload. Young Edwin went to work for them as a clerk and later as a salesman. In 1870 he went to work for Ira M. Davis and Company as a bookkeeper, then clerk and salesman. By 1880 he became a partner in that firm. In 1883 he founded the commercial firm of Wharton and Godfrey with John S. Wharton. It was located at 173 W. Water Street (now Plankinton Avenue). Soon thereafter he brought his sons, E. R., Jr. and William Allen, into the firm as clerks. Family Life E. R., Sr. married Susan A. Rogers on December 24, 1863. At this time they lived on the corner of Cass Street, and Wisconsin Street. During the next twenty years they moved to six other locations near the downtown area of Milwaukee where their eight children were born. E. R.'s wife was the daughter of a prominent Wauwatosa family. It was probably her urging to be nearer them that prompted him to purchase a 3.17 acre triangle of land on April 4, 1883. from Arba and Caroline Mower. This parcel was located on the corner of the Milwaukee and Wauwatosa Plank Road (now Milwaukee Avenue and the United States Road (now Harwood Avenue). This parcel was subdivided on July 20, 1889, into eleven lots and became known as the Godfrey Subdivision. In 1884 Mr. Godfrey built a three-story Victorian home at what is now 7400 Harwood Avenue (Harwood Clinic). Some of its features included a Wauwatosa limestone foundation, several bays, clapboard and a single siding, a cantilevered tower, a columned porch, a porch cochere, and a large two-story frame coach-house at the rear of the lot. A Dynasty is Born In 1889 E. R. Godfrey & Sons Company was incorporated as commercial merchants, with E. R., Sr. as president, E.R., Jr. as treasurer, and William A. as secretary. They remained in the same building where Wharton & Godfrey had been on West Water Street until 1903. Each son was assigned a different department of the organization making them individually responsible for the success or failure their departments. Edwin, Jr. took charge of the grocery department, Charles and William were placed at the head of the fruit and commission end of the business. The of the senior Godfrey became known and name respected far beyond the confines of his business. Philip Armour, founder of Armour & Co., recognizing his ability and worth, tried induce him to go to Chicago to affiliate with the packing company. Such a proposition had little appeal to Mr Godfrey. There has never been but one Mr. Godfrey. To everyone in the House of Godfrey, from sales everyone manager down to the driver on the streets, the sons have always been known as Junior, Charles, Will or W. A., and J.D. Edwin Rogers Godfrey, Jr. Edwin Rogers Godfrey, Jr. born on February 27, 1865, was in Milwaukee. His middle name came from his mothers family. On January 13, 1887, he united in marriage with was Florence Swan, a member of a famous Wauwatosa pioneer farm family, A month later he purchased three adjacent lots from William van Baumbach for $1450. They were on the corner of what is now 70th Street and Milwaukee Avenue, where he built his two-story home on Lot S (7006 Milwaukee Avenue). Lots 7 Sources *''Historic Wauwatosa'' Category:Families